No abstract

Streptomyces viridosporus degraded lignin and lignocellulose, producing low molecular weight phenolic compounds for potential industrial use.The main portion of lignin in the residues was released into the growth medium as a water soluble modified polymer. The polymer, an acid precipitable polyphenolic lignin (APPL), was recovered from spent culture media by an acid precipitation, and was shown to be mostly free of non-lignin components, as compared to native lignin. Elemental and functional group analysis showed that APPL contained a higher hydrogen and oxygen content, lower carbon and also lower methoxyl group and higher phenolic content, than native lignin. From IR spectra, an absorption peak at 1,720 cm-' appeared in the infrared spectra of APPL. The ratio of the absorbance at 1.720 cm-I to the absorbance at 1.630 cm-' increased, due to higher levels ofcarbonyl and carboxyl groups.